CONTROLLING MIGRATION FUND – SUPPORTING THE ASYLUM DISPERAL SCHEME

We are writing to invite you to apply for funding as part of a two-year pilot to support granted asylum seekers transition from Government support into mainstream society and failed asylum seekers to return home.

The current contracts for asylum accommodation and support end in 2019 and the Home Office has been working closely with local government to inform the replacement arrangements. The attached briefing note sets out the arrangements that the Home Office is currently procuring. As part of the engagement it has been clear that some areas have been reluctant to participate in the asylum dispersal scheme and some participating areas have found it challenging. Ministers are committed to work across government to encourage more areas to participate and to make participation easier, including through better information sharing to improve planning for service delivery and managing the impacts on communities.

Alongside the improvements to the way the contracts will operate and how central and local government will work together, up to £2.5 million is being made available from March 2018 from DCLG’s Controlling Migration Fund to provide c.50 Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers (LAASLOs) in approximately 20 English local authority areas. LAASLOs will deliver a tailored support service to new refugees to facilitate their transition into mainstream society during and after the move on period by providing advice and information on essential services. For asylum seekers awaiting a decision, LAASLOs will help make them aware of the support available once a decision has been made as well as preparing them for the consequences of a negative decision by supporting a voluntary return to their home countries. As a local authority making a significant contribution to the dispersal scheme and supporting asylum seekers we invite you to apply for funding as part of a two-year pilot.

The Government is committed to complying with its international obligations and supporting those who are in the UK seeking protection after fleeing persecution, as well as creating successful and integrated communities. We recognise that some asylum seekers granted protection find it difficult to transition to mainstream services. Providing a smooth transition from the asylum support system to mainstream services and getting refugees into employment, sustainable housing solutions and improving English language proficiency will help refugees, reduce service costs and have a positive impact on established communities.

You are invited to apply for funding for LAASLOs by Thursday 21 December 2017 using the short attached application form. The numbers of LAASLOs each local authority can apply for, based on anticipated caseload calculated against existing asylum seeker numbers, is listed below and a job description of the role is attached. The role can be used to complement any existing local provision.

We expect all bidding local authorities to commit to:

- Employ LAASLO(s) in 2018/19 using a government grant;
- Maintain the post(s) for a further 12 months at least from your own finances;
- Assess progress and identify lessons learned locally; and
- Contribute to Government’s national evaluation exercise so that lessons can be learned to inform the new arrangements for asylum seeker support from 2019.

We are interested in testing new approaches to service delivery which could be replicated elsewhere and will help facilitate the developing and sharing of emerging good practice throughout the course of the pilots. If you are able to employ LAASLOs for below £50,000 per annum the remainder can be used for additional activity, otherwise any extra activity you wish to undertake will need to be funded from elsewhere.

We will check that applicants are prepared to participate in the scheme as described and then notify local authorities by the end of February 2018. DCLG will then make a grant payment to participating local authorities before the end of March 2018. If you have any queries please email migrationfund@communities.gsi.gov.uk or contact your DCLG Controlling Migration Fund regional lead.

This letter is copied to all regional Strategic Migration Partnership leads.

HARDIP BEGOL

PAUL MORRISON Allocation of Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers

Birmingham 4 Liverpool 4 Bolton 3 Manchester 3 Rochdale 3 Barking and Dagenham 2 Bradford 2 Bury 2 Leeds 2 Leicester 2 Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2 Nottingham 2 Oldham 2 Salford 2 Sandwell 2 Sheffield 2 Stockton on Tees 2 Wigan 2 Wolverhampton 2 Kirklees 1